Open Government Public Reading Room

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives citizens the right to access government records and information upon request. The public or any individual has the right to know or be informed about activities, decisions and policies of U.S. federal agencies.

The basic purpose of FOIA is to "ensure an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society, needed to check against corruption and to hold the governors accountable to the governed."